Rivian factory damaged by tornado before R2 launch

A tornado struck Rivian's Illinois factory, damaging Building 2 where the R2 SUV is manufactured. While no employees were injured, operations in the affected building have been temporarily paused. The company is assessing the damage and aims to resume operations this week. The extent of the impact on the R2's upcoming launch remains uncertain, though the automaker is counting on the new model to improve its financial performance. Rivian plans to produce hundreds of thousands of R2s annually, with production also slated for a new Georgia facility starting in 2028.